Oyewale Adediji: Scholarships can bridge the gap between school football and national teams

The Principal of Igbobi College Lagos, Venerable Joseph Oyewale Adediji, has called for a structured scholarship system to strengthen the pathway from school football to the Nigerian national age teams.

READ ALSO: Oyewale Adediji calls for revival of school sports to rebuild Nigeria’s sporting future

In an exclusive interview on Inside Naija Sports, Adediji acknowledged the rapid growth of football academies in Nigeria, noting that the proliferation of academies reflects a gap that currently exists in the traditional school sports development system.

He believes schools can play a much bigger role in identifying and training young footballers, as was common in previous generations when talented school players could progress directly to national teams of their age.

According to Adediji, one of the biggest challenges facing the development of youth sports today is the absence of a properly structured pathway connecting school competitions with elite football.

“One of the main challenges we face in this generation is the lack of proper structure,” he said.

He argued that winning school competitions at the U-10 and U-15 levels should not be seen primarily as an opportunity to distribute cash prizes.

Rather, the achievements of outstanding young athletes should be used as a springboard for their long-term development.

Adediji proposed that exceptional artists should be rewarded with educational scholarships to higher institutions, allowing them to continue their academic journey while receiving adequate training and development in their chosen sporting disciplines.

“I think that when U-10 and U-15 players win different competitions, the focus should not necessarily be on monetary rewards.

“Instead, outstanding players should be offered scholarships to higher institutions where they can continue their education while developing adequately in their respective sports.”

The proposal reflects his broader argument that education and sports should work together rather than operate as separate paths.

Under such a model, talented footballers could remain within the education system while benefiting from structured training, competition and mentoring.

This could provide a sustainable alternative to the increasingly academy-driven route many aspiring young players currently follow.

Adediji believes this approach could help restore the role schools once played as important talent identification centers for Nigerian football.

Rather than forcing young athletes to choose between education and sporting ambitions, a properly designed scholarship system could allow both to develop simultaneously.

For Adediji, rebuilding Nigeria’s grassroots football structure requires investment, planning and a clear path from school competitions to elite football.

And with the right structure, the next generation of national team stars could once again emerge straight from Nigerian schools.